1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an arrangement structure of a canister in a motorcycle.
2. Description of Background Art
A known technique disposes a canister between V-banks in a V-type engine in which cylinders are disposed at the front and the rear. See, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Sho 60-145265. As such, in V-type engines, the canister may be disposed in an empty space using the cylinder, thereby protecting the canister from the front and rear. Unfortunately, this technique does not protect both lateral sides of the canister. If side surfaces are to be protected with strength equivalent to that at the front and rear, therefore, protection is necessary through the use of a protective part (such as a protector) having a certain level of rigidity. This leads to an unfavorable problem by increasing the number of parts used.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, an arrangement structure of a canister disposed near a cylinder of an internal combustion engine of a motorcycle is provided to enable the protection of the canister without involving an increase in the number of parts of a protective member.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the motorcycle (1) includes a left and right pair of frames (4), extending rearwardly from a head pipe (2), for suspending an internal combustion engine (11) laterally with the canister (26) being disposed around a cylinder (24) of the internal combustion engine (11). The canister (26) is disposed between the frames (4) and the internal combustion engine (11) so as to overlap at least partly with the pair of frames (4) in a side view.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the canister (26) is supported by a wide support stay (45) disposed across the pair of frames (4).
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the support stay (45) includes a plurality of arm portions (46, 47) for mounting on the frames 4, the arm portions (46, 47) extending laterally and disposed at a front and a rear of the stay (45), for supporting auxiliaries other than the canister (26).
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the support stay (45) is mounted on the frames (4) at mounting portions (48, 49) via elastic cushioning members (57).
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the canister (26) is supported by the support stay (45) at upper and lower portions thereof.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the canister (26) is supported by a holding portion (45B) of the support stay (45) at upper and lower portions thereof via a cylindrical elastic member (36).
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the canister (26) has a fitting groove (35) disposed on an outer periphery thereof, into which the cylindrical elastic member (36) for use in the elastic support is to be fitted. The fitting groove (35) has an inclined surface (37) formed at an edge of an inlet side of the fitting groove (35).
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a luggage compartment (17) is disposed upwardly of the canister (26) with a battery (21) as an auxiliary supported by the support stay (45) being disposed between a storage case (20) inside the luggage compartment (17) and the support stay (45).
According to an embodiment of the present invention, an intake system (66) connected to the internal combustion engine (11) is disposed forwardly of the canister (26) with the canister (26) being disposed in an area surrounded by the intake system (66), the cylinder (24), and a crankcase (14).
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the canister (26) can be protected by rigid members, being covered in the cylinder (24) at a front surface thereof and in the frames (4) at lateral sides thereof. In addition, an engine (13) and the frames (4) are used as protective members, which prevents an increase in the number of parts used.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the canister (26) is supported by the wide support stay (45), so that the canister (26) can be steadily held in position.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, other auxiliaries in addition to the canister 26 can be supported, which achieves a reduced number of parts used.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the support stay (45) is to be mounted on the vehicle body frame (3), the support stay (45) is mounted at the mounting portions (48, 49) of the vehicle body frame (3) via the elastic cushioning members (57). This prevents the support stay (45) or the canister (26) from resonating with vehicle vibrations.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the canister (26) is held by upper and lower arms (55, 56) of a holding portion (45B) of the support stay (45). This enhances support stiffness of the canister (26).
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the canister (26) is held by the upper and lower arms (55, 56) of the support stay (45) via the cylindrical elastic member (36). The canister (26) can thereby be cushioned and reliably held in place.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the canister (26) has the fitting groove (35) disposed on the outer periphery thereof, into which the cylindrical elastic member (36) for use in elastic support is to be fitted and the fitting groove (35) has the inclined surface (37) formed at an edge of the inlet side of the fitting groove (35). This allows the cylindrical elastic member (36) to be easily fitted into the fitting groove (35).
According to an embodiment of the present invention, a heavy battery (21) can be disposed in a dead space available between the canister (26) and the storage case (20) in the luggage compartment (17).
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the canister (26) can be disposed by effectively and actively using a dead space available around the internal combustion engine (11).
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.